Thursday, January 10, 2019

For my book club, we just read A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline. I knew it was historical fiction and that it took place in Maine, but it wasn't until I started reading that I realized I had been to all of the small towns that were mentioned in the book. I find it delightful to be able to picture the area that the story take place. The photo above is one that I took on my visit.

The Book

I had read books by Christina Baker Kline before and really enjoy her writing style. She wrote The Orphan Train and Sweetwater both books I would highly recommend. So, I started A Piece of the World with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Christina Baker Kline has a way of bringing you into her book and making you feel empathy with her characters.Although this book is a work of fiction, the major characters are all real people and the author did a lot of research into the characters and the area to give a realistic view. The book is based on a painting by artist Andrew Wyeth Christina's World , and in particular about the life of Christina.The author alternates between describing Christina's early life in the early 1900's to describing her life when Andrew Wyeth is painting her in the mid 1900's. Christina leads a simple and hard life on a farm in a remote area of Maine. She grows up with her parents and three brothers on the family farm overlooking the bay. Although it sounds like a beautiful setting the work is hard without any of the conveniences of modern day. They have no electricity or indoor plumbing and Christina has a debilitating disease that makes it hard for her to move around. Despite this she manages to do her chores and eventually take care of the household.In her late teens and early twenties Christina meets some summer people who visit the coast each summer and we hear of her friends and love interest from Boston.Later in life the painter Andrew Wyeth summers in the area and uses the upstairs rooms in Christina's home to paint. Christina becomes friends with Andrew and his wife Becky and he is the one person that seems to understand things from Christina's point of view.I found this to be a very intriguing book that really makes you consider life's choices. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Amazon Links to the Book and the Painting

Rockland and Port Clyde Area Today

I have written about the Rockland and Port Clyde area in two different posts. This post is primarily about lighthouses in the area and was written on my lighthouse blog.

Mid-Coast Maine LighthousesI've also written a post on Review This about the area Review of Port Clyde MaineToday Andrew Wyeth's son is a prominent local artist. There is a gallery just above the General Store that displays his works along with some of his fathers.

Photos of the Area

Here are some photos I took of the area around Port Clyde. I found it to be very picturesque.

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Thursday, July 13, 2017

A Trip to Port Clyde

During a June trip to the Rockland/Camden area in Maine we decided to take a day trip to Port Clyde. Port Clyde is a delightful midcoast fishing village that is about 20 minutes from the Rockland area. It was a beautiful clear day and I thought the blue sky would work well with the white lighthouse and gangplank.

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Marshall Point lighthouse is located at the very tip of the St. George's Peninsula in Maine. It is a rather short lighthouse that sits about 50 feet offshore on a rocky ledge. This ledge is exposed at low tide and is connected to the shore by a white wooden walkway. The placement of the lighthouse is a photographers dream. It is easy to get a great shot without anything in the way.An interesting fact about this lighthouse is that it was seen in the movie "Forest Gump". In the scene where Tom Hank's character runs cross country and he ends by running up the wooden walkway and then turning around and starting over again.

Watch this classic movie and see the scene with the lighthouse!

The coast around the lighthouse was beautiful. Wildflowers grew all along the coast and I enjoyed walking around the area and capturing the beauty of the coast.

Port Clyde Harbor

Port Clyde General Store and Dip Net Restaurant

Looking out at Port Clyde Harbor

Port Clyde is a small town (just over 300 people) but I was delighted with all it had to offer. After we visited the lighthouse we drove down to the harbor, which is the center of the town. There we found a general store and a couple of restaurants. One was the Port Kitchen which was in the general store. There you could eat or have them pack you a picnic lunch to take with you on your excursion. The other choice was the Dip Net restaurant on the deck by the dock. We chose the Dip Net restaurant and enjoyed some wonderful lobster rolls sitting outside on the deck. They had several different ways you could have your lobster rolls fixed and my husband and I both chose to have our lobster sauteed in butter and then put in the toasted rolls. It was an excellent choice and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The painter Andrew Wyeth lived in the area and now his son Jamie lives in the area on an island just off the coast. Upstairs from the general store is Linda Bean's Wyeth Art Gallery. Here you can purchase works by Jamie and also some rare prints of his father's.

Marshall Point Lighthouse on Zazzle Products

Guidebook for Maine

I have found this guidebook very helpful in finding all of the little out of the way places to photograph. It also gives great ideas for places to take photographs and best angles to shoot. Along with that it has directions to get to the areas and lots of helpful hints.

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Monday, January 12, 2015

Some people would not automatically consider a day trip to rural, southeastern Pennsylvania in the winter. In fact, I can almost hear you thinking, "Drive to Pennsylvania, in the winter? In the snow? Oh no!" However, I don't think I will have to work very long or hard to convince you, there are two very exciting reasons to visit the Brandywine River area of Pennsylvania. Especially at this time of year.

Longwood Gardens: Orchid Extravaganza

The first reason to travel to Brandywine Valley, during the cold months, is the Orchid Extravaganza. Longwood Gardens is an amazing botannical garden and is a highly recommended destination during any time of year. Last year was my maiden voyage to Longwood Gardens and it was just coincidence that the orchid extravaganza was in full swing at the time. It was amazing. I will never forget the sights and the scents. I was lost in a world of tropical flowers while there was still snow on the ground outdoors.This year the Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Gardens dates are January 24 to March 29, 2015. I will return this year. I advise you to not miss it.

Brandywine River Museum: Wyeth exhibitions

The second reason to travel Pennsylvania during the cold months is Brandywine River Museum and the Wyeth art exhibitions. If you like Wyeth art, as I do, you will be thrilled to learn that the Andrew Wyeth; Lines of Thought exhibition continues until March 15, 2015 and the Jamie Wyeth exhibition will be held January 17 through April 5, 2015.I think Wyeth art (all three Wyeth's) is breathtaking and well worth the drive to see it in person. I've been to the Brandywine River Museum a handful of times and have had a wonderful experience each time I've been there. I will go up for the Jamie Wyeth exhibit this year.

If you aren't able to visit the museum in person, but enjoy Andrew Wyeth paintings, I highly recommend Andrew Wyeth: Memory and Magic. It is a 224 page in-home art exhibit. Clearly, seeing the paintings hanging on the wall just a few inches away is the best way to view them. but this is the second best way to see a wide selection of Andrew Wyeth's works. Snow and cold, or not, just go. I don't think you will regret it. Longwood Gardens and Brandywine River Museum are just two little nuggets of travel gold in this area of Pennsylvania.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Where is
Brandywine Valley? I cannot
say exactly as this is something I am learning as I explore the mid-Atlantic
region. The Brandywine
Valley area is a watershed area and consists of at least Delaware and Chester
Counties, Pennsylvania.

Why do I care about trying to define the location of the
area? Because I am learning
that there is much to do and see in that area and I am trying to give clear
directions and good references for more information. Initially, I tried to divide the area
and attractions into two counties: Chester and Delaware. But I could not determine which county
Longwood Gardens was located in. On
the internet, it almost seems as though both counties lay claim to this amazing
botanical garden.

So, I will from now on refer to this area as the Brandywine
Valley.

We have taken many drives through this area. We have
made several stops at the Brandywine
Art Museum. I highly recommend that you put it on your list of places to
experience. Andrew Wyeth was an amazing artist and if you aren’t familiar
with him, I think that you should be.

I recently discoveredLongwood Gardensand I have discussed it in an earlier
blog entry. I won’t go into details again since you can read my original
article for yourself. But I will say that this is an enchanted place and next
time I go, I will plan to spend the entire day.

In addition to these two amazing points of interest, I have
now added the following to my list of places to see in the Brandywine Valley
area:

To compile your own list of attractions and event to see,
these are two sites that will be of much help Brandywine
Valley and The Brandywine.
They have similar names but are two different sources of information.

Stay tuned either here or on mySquidoo profile
page in order to learn more about the Brandywine Valley area as I have
opportunities for further adventures. Or you can follow me on my Mid-Atlantic
Travel with Dawn Rae facebook page.

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